Picker mechanism



UGL 25, 1932- K. M. VAN RENSSELAER ET Al.. LSSAQ@ PICKER MECHANISM Eiled Oct. 22. 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet l OGL 25, 1932 K. M. VAN RENSSELAER ET AL 1,8845405" PICKER MECHANISM Filed OG.. 22. 1929 3 Sheets-Shes?v 2 t 0-0-0000 O- -I Oct. Z5, 1932 K. M. VAN RENssl-:LAER ET AL 1,884,405

PICKER MECHANISM Filed Oct. 22, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Oct. 25, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 KILIAEN M. VAN RENSVSELAER, OF WOODMERE, AND HUGO B. SWANSON, OF BROQKYN,

NEW YORK, ASSIGNORS TOrTR-IANGLE KAPOK MACHINE CORPORATION, OF BROOK- LYN, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE i PICKER MECHANISM .Application led October 22, 1929. 'Serial No. 401,585.

This invention is directed to improvements in picker devices of the type used in processing iilling material such as kapok, cotton linters and the like for mattresses, pillows and similar articles.

One of the 'objects of this invention is the provisionof a picker device of novel'construction, comprising a housing enclosing the picker members and a suction fan and delivery nozzles secured to the housing to which the article to be filled is attached.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a motive device for operating the picker and fan by mea-ns of a shaft having a bearing for supporting it soft-hat its outer end isfree preventing the collection of lilhng material thereon.

A further object of this'invention is the provision of a picker member comprising a rotor and a stator in which the stator is in the form of a cylindrical housing having a plurality of openings therethrough, through which excess material may pass if it is fed too rapidly tothe picker.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a novel form of lstator and rotor which cooperate to eiliciently break up the material to thoroughly aerate it.

Other objects of this invention are to provide a machine which is relatively simple in construction and operation, and yet rugged and efficient.

These and other objects as will appear from the following disclosure are secured by means of this invention. Y

This inventionY resides substantially in the combination, construction, arrangement and relative location of parts, all as will be described in greater detail hereinafter.

Referring to the drawings Figure l is a top planview of the device with some parts broken away;

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. l; v

Fig. 3 is kan end elevational view ofthe stator and rotor of the picker element;

Fig. l is a cross sectional view taken on the line H of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is yan edge view of a portion of the rotor;

' Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail view of a portion of the stator;

F ig'. 7 is a cross sectional view taken on the line-f'- of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the compl-ete ating rotor and stato-r of the picker element f involves new principles of construction which render it highly use-ful for the purpose intended.v The forms of device now known have the one serious defect in that if material is fed to them too rapidly they clog up and do not properly break up the material. The picker element of this device is so constructedthat if excess material is supplied thereto it is automatically removed from the action of the rotor until the temporary condition of clogging is overcome, when the excess material is again returned to the rotor to pass through the machine.

For a better understanding of the construction and operation of the machine, reference will now be made to the drawings.

The base-plate or support is 'shown atl to which is secured a housing 9. and a suitably positioned electric driving-motor 3. The housing 2 is provided with a. feed hopper which receives the filling material to be aerated. On one of theside walls of the housing 2 is a delivery pipe 5 having two nozzles 6 and 7 controlled by the gate 8 and operating lever 9. In the position of gate 8 shown inthe drawings the material is delivered through nozzle 6 to the article to be lled which encircles it. When the gate 8 is moved to the other positionshown by lthe dottedlines, the material is fed through the The machine of this invention which periphery, a plurality of bars 22 which have a triangular cross section as is clear in Fig. 7. Figs. 6 and 7 show how these bars are secured to the end rings in spaced relation, to provide passages therebetween. The cylindrical statorv is supported between the wall fik) 10 and the wall of the hopper 4 and forms with the casing 2, the chambers 12 and 13. The wall 4 prevents the formation of an air pocket at the base of the hopper channel and guides the material to the picker.

A shaft 14 is connected to the motor by coupling 3 extends through the housing and is supported adjacent the motor by the bearing 15. Secured to the shaft 14 for rotation therewith within the chamber 11, is a suitable suction fan 16. Also secured to shaft 14,'but within the cylindrical stator are the rotor discs 18 provided with teeth 19 on their periieheries as is clear from Figs. 2, 3 and 5. veral of these discs are shown mounted in spaced relation and the number employed will of course depend upon the degree of traint-ment which is to be given to the matena Fig. 4 shows more clearly the cylindrical stator with the space between thebars 22 and the rotor discs 18. The teeth or wings on the rotor discs cooperate with the edges of the triangular bars 22 to provide a tearing or disrupting action on the filling material as it is drawn axially therethrough by the fan.

In Figs. 9 and 10 a modified form of Fig. 1 is shown in which both the stator and rotor are somewhat different from the form previously disclosed. In general the stator is of the same construction as before, but in this case at equi-distant Vpoints around the stator the bars 22 arereplaced by a bar 50 which projects beyond the edges of the bars 22. The bars 50 are toothed and are of tapered construction as shown clearly in Fig. 10 where the size of the teeth decreases from the left towards the right. The right hand endris the fan or suction end. The number of bars 50 employed may be varied and in the form disclosed six at equi-distant points around the stator are employed. The construction of the rotor discs is the same as before with the exception that they are .of gradually increasing diameter from the left towards the right. Thus the rotor disc 18 at the left is of the smallest diameter and the furthest away fromthe teeth on l bars 50. Rotor disc 18 at the right is of the largest diameter and is nearer to the teeth than the other discs. Thus as the material moves through the picker from left to right the space between the teeth on bars 50 and the rotor discs is decreased. By means of Vprovided between the bars 22.

It may be well to point out here that with the form of bearing construction shown in Figs. 1 and 2 the end of shaft 14 is left free and unsupported and as a result there is no tendency for the material to scatter as would be the case if the bearing were used. It is found in actual operation that with the type of support shown the end of shaft 14 does not Whip materially.

In the operation of the device the matted and compacted filling material is delivered to the machine by the hopper 4. This material is drawn downwardly and to the right (Fig. 2) by the suction action of fan 16. The material moves axially through the picker element, Vwhere it is broken up, aerated and cleaned by the coaction between the rotor discs and the stator bars. If an excess of material is fed to the picker element it is driven into chambers 12 and 13 through the space between the stator bars. When there is a deficiency of material passing through the picker element the suction action of the fan will draw the excess material in chambers 12 and 13 back through the space between the stator bars and then draw it on into the chamber 11. The fan delivers the aerated material from chamber 11 through pipe 5 to whichever nozzle is open.

In the foregoing disclosure it will be apparent that we have devised a new form of picker device which is constructed and which operates in accordance with certain principles which may of course be embodied in other physical forms, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

We do not, therefore, desire to be strictly limited to the disclosure as given for purposes of description, but rather to the scope of the appended claims.

What we seek to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. In a picker element of the type described the combination comprising an apertured stator having a series of spaced toothed bars projecting internally thereof, the plane of the tips of the teeth lying at an angle with the axis of the stator, and a rotor comprising a number of spaced toothed discs of different diameters, the space between the teeth on the rotor and the teeth on the stator bars gradually diminishing in one direction.

2. A machine as described comprising a casing having a feed hopper discharging thereinto, a picker Comprising a stator in the form of an open ended cylinder, said stator having apertures in the Wallk thereof suieiently large to let the libres of the material being treated pass therethrough, a rotatable rotor Within the stator for cooperation therewith, a fan mounted axially With the rotor and means for revolving fthe rotor and fan, said fan drawing the material 'to he treated axially through the picker and the apertures permitting escape of the material into the casing therethrough when the picker is overloaded and said fan acting to draw the material back through the apertures When the overload is removed. y

In testimony whereof We have hereunto set our hands on this 15th day of October, A. D. 1929.

KILIAEN M. VAN RENSSELAER. HUGO R. SWANSON. 

